The City of Love
by The Cursed Shadow
Summary: Elena wakes to find herself in The City of Love of all places, but who is she with? And how did she get there? Will love blossom between them? Or will someone end up with a broken heart?
1. The City of Love

Elena turned in her sleep, resting on the red silk sheets. Her face was buried in her pillow, and showed no signs of waking up anytime soon. This caused the vampire to chuckle as she leaned against the doorframe, watching the girl as she slept. The line had often been blurred on whether she watched or watched over the girl, for she had done so many times. It was a subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless. She shook her head; the vampire refused to care about the care about the human, it was impossible. They may have looked the same, but the two were little to nothing alike. Yet as she stood, watching the slow breathing of her twin, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of affection.

The vampire hadn't slept, not in several weeks. It was unnecessary for her to sleep every night, but she needed to sleep eventually. _Not tonight_, she thought to herself, _but soon_.

She saw the human turn again, facing her this time. She assumed Elena had wanted to escape the harsh moonlight. After contemplating for a few moments the vampire walked to the window and quietly pulled the curtains shut. Elena groaned, causing her to smile. Katherine leaned down and put her lips close to Elena's ear, so close that her breath fell onto Elena's skin.

"We're going to have so much fun together," she whispered, smirking as she saw the girl shudder in her sleep. Without making a sound, the vampire slowly walked out of the room, leaving Elena to her dreams.

As the sun climbed the sky the light shone through the small crack between the curtains in Elena's room. She attempted to block the lighw tih her arm, but it was hopeless. She was awake, and there would be no going back to sleep. The girl sat up in bed, still too dazed to stand, and looked around. Her brow arched as she realized she was in an unfamiliar place. The walls were a different color, the sheets were of different material, everything seemed more expensive than what she could afford.

Something else was wrong. The girl couldn't remember the events of the previous evening. What happened? She had been walking home, then her mind turned black. It was as if nothing was there. Surely something had to be there, otherwise how could she have possible arrived in such a different place. She stood shakily on her feet. Why were her legs so weak? Had she done anything vigorous? Elena searched the room and the connecting bathroom to find all of the things she would use at home: her brush, toothbrush, toothpase, soaps and shampoos. Everything was there, but how, and why?

She quickly got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before quietly opening the door to her room. To her displeasure it creaked upon movement. Her breath caught in her throat. What if someone heard? After several moments of anxious waiting she released her breath and began to tiptoe down the large hallway. Every step was met with a comfortable red carpet covering the floor, assisting in silencing her footsteps. Elena's eyes traveled over the walls, floor, windows, and every inch of the hall. It could not be an ordinary house, it had to be much more expensive.

_More like a mansion_, she thought to herself. _Why would someone who can afford all of this kidnap me? _

The girl cringed as she heard footsteps downstairs. The person was obviously wearing heels, thereby making them a woman, or a very strange and deluded man. Elena wouldn't jump to conclusions, in fact, she wouldn't want to see them at all. Traversing the stairs as fast as she could, Elena made a run for the front door. After finding it after several minutes she wondered why she had not been chased. She pushed the thought from her mind and was simply grateful she was able to escape.

Elena reached for the door, but something was wrong. It was as if something was blocking her, yet there was nothing there. An invisible force held her hand inches from the door, tormenting her as she pushed harder, trying to escape. She panted, trying and failing again. What was it? How could she not open the door?

"Having trouble?" a female voice asked tauntingly from behind her.

She jumped involuntarily to look at the person who stood behind her. The girl had been looking down as to avert eye contact, but she could not help her wondering eyes. First she saw the black leather boots with stilleto heals. As her eyes traveled she saw the dark black skinny jeans and the revealing black top, because of that she knew it was a woman. Her eyes finally settled on the woman's face, noticing the way her dark brown curled hair cascaded down her shoulders. The woman's brown eyes were cold and shielded, no emotion showing through them at all. They looked exactly alike yet completely different. Elena gulped rather audibly, causing the woman to chuckle.

"Ka- Katherine," Elena stuttered, her breathing had become unsteady after seeing the smirk on Katherine's perfect lips.

"Elena," the vampire said perfectly, the girl's name flowing from her lips, causing Elena to shudder.

The human turned and quickly tried to escape, but again found herself incapable because of the invisible force. Her shoulders tensed as she heard Katherine's laugh from behind her. She turned around, determined not to show Katherine fear this time, but she knew the woman could see it in her eyes, whereas Elena could see nothing in hers.

"What are you doing?" Katherine asked nonchalantly.

Elena found no reason to lie, Katherine would already know the truth. "I was trying to get out."

"What were you specifically trying to do, Elena?"

For a moment the girl paused, confused by the question. She lowered her head, "I was trying to escape," she whispered softly, afraid of Katherine's wrath.

She shivered as she felt Katherine's finger trace her jawline until it reached her chin. Her head was lifted until she was facing the woman, still shuddering.

"Why would you want to do that?" the vampire asked with a pout.

The girl tried to speak, but only small noises came out. Words wouldn't form. She desperately tried to say something, but her throat seemed to be working against her. Her eyes became glued to the floor, and only returned to the woman's eyes when she felt Katherine's thumb gently caressing her face.

"Don't you remember?" the vampire whispered softly, her voice suspiciously filled with curiosity and even slight affection.

"Remember what?" Elena asked bravely, her voice soft.

Katherine's lips curled into a smirk yet again, "Last night."

Elena shook her head and walked away from Katherine. Surprisingly the vampire let her go, she looked at her again from a different side of the room.

"What happened?"

"That would spoil the fun, Elena," Katherine drawled.

"What fun?"

"You getting to remember it yourself."

For the upteenth time that day Elena found her shoulders tensing. If Katherine didn't want to tell her she knew it would be something she wouldn't like. Though, the vampire always did have a way of pushing her buttons. Perhaps nothing happened at all and Katherine was merely taunting her. Elena found that hard to believe, especially because she was in a mansion instead of her home.

"Why am I here?" the human asked.

Katherine shrugged, "Because I want you here," she said while slightly tilting her head to the side.

"Why? What do you want with me?"

"I have my reasons."

Elena sighed, knowing Katherine wouldn't tell her what she wanted to hear. The vampire could be antagonistic, but Elena somehow didn't mind that much. After a few moments of thought a feeling of fear seated in the pit of her stomach.

"You're going to kill me, aren't you?"

There was a long pause of silence between the two, and it was killing Elena, figuratively of course.

"Not yet," she heard Katherine's voice and she could finally relax. She wasn't going to die, which gave her more time to figure a way to escape.

"Hungry?" Elena was surprised when Katherine asked, but nodded her head. She followed Katherine into the kitchen where eggs and bacon awaited her on a white plate.

The girl sat down at the table and was surprised yet again when Katherine sat across from her, pouring a blood bag into a chilled glass. She tried not to stare, but she was curious, and watched Katherine as she took a sip. Their eyes met and Elena instantly looked away, realizing how hungry she truly was and greedily began eating.

"Katherine," she said tentatively after finishing her food. The girl waited until the vampire had taken the glass away from her lips, but a small drop of blood had fallen down to Katherine's chin. Elena waited for her to clean it, but the woman made no move, and kept her eyes firmly on Elena.

"Where are we?"

The vampire chuckled as she stood from her chair and walked to the window, where the curtains were closed. With one quick, fluid motion, Katherine opened the curtains and let a stream of light into the room. The light blinded Elena for several seconds, but when she was finally able to see she walked to the glass and stared in awe at the Eiffel tower.

"The city of love," Katherine said, standing so closely behind Elena the girl could swear their bodies had touched. She knew exactly where they were.

_Paris._


	2. Red Wine

Katherine watched the girl from the table, not moving an inch. She could tell Elena was uncomfortable because of the way she continued to fidget on the couch. Her lips curled into a smirk, she couldn't take her eyes off of the human. There was something about her innocence that made the vampire want to take it away, in every meaning that could possibly have.

She walked out of the kitchen for a moment, and heard Elena let out a breath. Katherine hadn't been aware the girl had been holding it for so long. The smirk remained plastered on her face when she returned with a bottle of wine. After becoming agitated by the cork she simply broke part of the neck off of the bottle and poured the dark, red liquid into a glass.

As she looked to Elena their eyes met, and Katherine chuckled as the human quickly redirected her gaze back to the TV. The vampire sauntered over to her, standing in front of her and effectively blocking the TV. She saw Elena's throat move and heard the gulp.

"Here," Katherine said as she held the glass out to her doppelganger, "Drink up."

Elena shook her head, "I'm not thirsty," she whispered, hoarsely.

"Come on, Elena," the vampire said while rolling her eyes, "We both know that's a lie."

"You could've poisoned it," she said meekly, her voice full of fear.

Katherine couldn't suppress another eye roll, "I'm a vampire, Elena. I could snap your neck like a twig here and now. Do you really think I would kill you in such a mediocre fashion?"

The girl couldn't deny she had a point, but still, she didn't want to take anything from Katherine. Hesitantly, she took the glass from her and placed it to her lips, Katherine's eyes on her the entire time.

She watched Elena's tentative first sip, and almost immediately afterwards the girl became greedy. Elena drank half the glass before putting it on the coffee table in front of her. Katherine's smirk was still on her face as she shook her head. Somehow while the girl was still thirsty she had her morals about getting drunk.

In the blink of an eye the TV was turned off and the remote in Katherine's hand. She met Elena's gaze and saw her gaping mouth. Her shoulders slumped and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I was watching that," she said, obviously trying not to anger the vampire.

"Well, now you're watching me," Katherine drawled, "Do you have a problem with that?"

Elena quickly shook her head, slightly curious to Katherine's intentions. Though, she would never admit that to anyone else.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Doing what?" Katherine asked with an arched brow.

"Keeping me here," the girl responded, "Why? Are you going to hand me over to Klaus? So he can make more hybrids? That won't work out for anyone, not even you. So, why are you doing it?"

Katherine bit her lip, and had a glow of seduction in her dark brown eyes. As Elena fidgeted, uncrossing her arms and putting them at her side, she tilted her head to the side.

The vampire slowly moved closer to Elena. She sat in the girl's lap and straddled her waist. Her innocent seeming lip bite had turned into a smirk as she stared into her doppelganger's eyes.

She could see Elena's obvious nervousness in her eyes, but there was also something there that surprised her: curiosity. Katherine hadn't expected Elena to think like that, not at first at least. She couldn't say she was disappointed, in fact, the vampire found it very satisfying. After moving her lips to Elena's ear, so close she knew the human would feel her breath on her ear, she began to whisper into her ear.

"Maybe I want you for my own reasons," Elena's body tensed as her hot breath hit her ear, and it only pushed Katherine on.

There were so many things running through Katherine's mind, so many things she could do, she would do. For the moment the vampire found pure contentment in their current situation.

Elena wasn't sure of what to do. She wanted to run, yet her body stayed in position. Somewhere in her mind she found herself enjoying it. What? No. That couldn't be possible, could it? It was an exact parody to a hunter stalking its prey, with Katherine as the obvious hunter, and Elena as the prey.

The elder doppelganger brought herself back to look at Elena's face. Her eyes still shone with the same curiosity and fear. Katherine couldn't deny the girl was beautiful, especially because they shared the same body. She smirked, letting Elena think it was about her, when really she was thinking about herself.

Katherine brought her lips to Elena's, but didn't kiss her. Instead, she let her lips ghost over the girl's, grazing them every once in a while. The human's breath caught in her throat, and only fueled her desires.

"No one has to know," the vampire whispered, her lips grazing Elena's with every word.

When Katherine finally kissed Elena, the girl felt a passion building up in her stomach. It was like a spark had just gone off, and it was building into a fire, a fire which Elena couldn't deny. The vampire's lips were rough yet gentle at the same time. The flames of Elena's fire began to rise, as did her confidence.

She started to return Katherine's kisses with fevered passion. As she shut her eyes the girl let the passion take over her. No longer consciously in control, her hands pulled Katherine's shirt over her head and roamed every inch of cool skin on the vampire's back.

Lust clouded both of their actions, leaving both of them open and vulnerable, but they paid no attention. Katherine laid Elena's back gently yet forcefully against the couch, and Elena liked it. Her lips moved down Elena's cheek to her neck.

The girl brought her hands to the nape of the vampire's neck, pulling her as close as possible. She sighed out in pleasure.

Katherine felt the drumming of Elena's artery beneath her lips. Her fangs slowly crept out and lightly brushed against the girl's skin with each kiss. Without a second thought she sank her fangs into the pulsing artery, and swallowed every drop of Elena's blood she could find.

Elena's hands brought the vampire's lips back to her own as she initiated the kiss. Katherine couldn't help but grin.

_Who knew Elena was so eager?_

Her lungs tightened as she released a gasp from her throat. Elena sat up on the couch and pressed a hand to her neck to find nothing there. She turned and saw Katherine sitting in a chair across from her with her clothes still attached to her body, unfortunately. Unfortunately? No. That's not what she meant to think, was it?

"You fainted," Katherine said, bringing Elena back into reality.

The human looked over at Katherine yet didn't say a word. There were so many questions running through her mind, yet she was too afraid to ask them.

"Did you enjoy it?" the vampire asked, her pout turning into a smirk.

"Enjoy what?"

"Don't pretend like you don't remember," she drawled, staring at Elena.

Elena tensed, so it had actually happened. No, it wasn't true. She would never have done those things with Katherine. It was impossible. Katherine was the enemy. She hated Katherine, didn't she?

The girl sighed, as much as she hated to admit it, she didn't hate Katherine. There was something about the elder doppelganger that intrigued her and excited her. She couldn't deny it, yet she so badly wanted to.

"It wasn't real," she said nervously, "You used dream compulsion on me and made up that stuff."

"I did?" Katherine asked with an arched brow.

"Yes…?" Elena replied, hoping the vampire was playing some kind of trick on her.

Katherine's smirk grew wider, "You tell me, Elena," she gestured to the coffee table.

_No,_ Elena thought to herself, _It's not true. It can't be true._

There, on the coffee table, stood the half empty glass of red wine.


	3. Sparks

The covers were pulled up to her waist as Elena sat on her bed, refusing to talk to Katherine. They hadn't had conversation since 'the incident', as Elena liked to call it. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as she thought about it. The girl knew it shouldn't have happened, but it did, and she liked it. It felt wrong, but it also felt right.

It couldn't be true. It wasn't supposed to feel right. She was supposed to hate Katherine more than anything. The vampire had torn the Salvatore brothers apart, turned Caroline into a vampire, and threatened to kill almost everyone she loved. Yet, somehow, she managed to find something in her. There was something about the woman that intrigued her, yet she was terrified by her.

Not a moment went by when Elena didn't think that Katherine was going to kill her. Almost every though about the vampire that went through her mind, placing aside the ones of her strange affection, were about her death at Katherine's hand.

As her door opened she gasped and jumped, not expecting the sudden slam of the wooden door against the wall. She turned her head to find Katherine lounging next to her on the bed, propping herself up on her elbows. A smirk was plastered on her perfect lips, and her eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Morning, Elena," she greeted, but her voice had an undertone of lust. The girl faintly heard it.

"Good morning, Katherine," Elena greeted kindly, her eyes glued to the bed, refusing to make eye contact.

"I want to go out," the vampire drawled.

"So go out."

"And leave you alone to be bored?" Katherine smirked again, "That would just be cruel."

"Because taking me from Mystic Falls and keeping me against my will isn't cruel," sarcasm dripped from Elena's voice as, for the first time in days, looked at the vampire. Her eyes were squinted in vexation, but the woman seemed unphased.

She merely shrugged, "Fine. You can stay here and starve, because if you don't come with me I'm not going to the store to get food."

Elena tried to respond, but nothing would come out. The vampire's lips curled in a smile, and Elena knew she had been beaten. She would have to go out with the woman if she wanted to eat.

"Okay," the girl relented, "I'll go with you."

"Did you really have a choice?"

The girl scoffed, throwing the covers off her legs and standing, going to look in her closet. She was fully aware of Katherine's eyes on her, she just couldn't tell where the vampire's eyes were. If she could, the girl would've most certainly blushed. Elena tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, but it was almost impossible. The vampire was irrisistible. Everything about her was. Her eyes always seemed to have a subtle glint of lust behind the cold walls. She was absolutely intoxicated by her, though she didn't dare admit it. Rather, she couldn't admit it, especially to herself.

Once she had thrown casual clothes onto the bed she looked at Katherine, who had decided to make herself comfortable. One of the vampire's legs was crossed over the other and her dark curls cascaded perfectly down her shoulders and onto the pillows beneath her head. She waited for her to move or do something, but there wasn't the slightest hint of motion.

"Aren't you going to leave?" Elena asked timidly.

"Why?" Katherine smirked, "It's not like I haven't seen it before."

Suddenly the girl felt self conscious, "Have you been watching me?"

A scoff escaped the vampire's lips, "In the mirror, Elena. We have the same body."

"Oh. Right."

She crossed her arms protectively in front of her chest, trying to defend herself from Katherine's piercing stare. The vampire didn't move one inch, knowing how it made Elena uncomfortable, but also knowing the girl liked it. As much as she would try to deny it, Katherine had a hold on her. The girl knew she shouldn't let Katherine affect her this way, but it was impossible not to be seduced by her.

"Could you leave?" Elena asked, her voice soft and timid.

"Why?"

"Katherine. Please," the girl couldn't believe she was begging, but if it would get Katherine out of her room it was worth it.

The vampire smirked, and it sent a shudder up Elena's spine. She loved seeing the girl beg, and soon she would be doing it very often, but not yet. Katherine was having too much fun. The woman stood from Elena's bed and sauntered over to her, putting her lips by the human's ear, taking a moment to listen to her drumming pulse.

"I'll see it eventually, Elena," she whispered, "One way or another."

When she left the room Elena finally had time to think. What was that? Was Katherine just playing games with her? That was most likely the case, but the girl couldn't ignore her feelings. The way the vampire's hot breath had felt on her skin. It made her want to collapse. The feeling was so strong.

She quickly put on the outfit she'd laid out. A long sleeve shirt and some jeans. When she walked into the hallway she saw the vampire leaning against the closed door across the hall. Elena felt Katherine's eyes scanning her, and held her breath until she appeared to be done.

"You'll want a sweater," Katherine advised.

"I'll be fine."

"All right," the vampire sing songed, "Just don't complain when you're cold later."

It was late afternoon by the time they'd finished shopping for food. Katherine had forced them to walk down the streets of Paris to get to the market for food. Elena couldn't deny she'd enjoyed it. She'd always wanted to walk in Paris, but she never expected it to be like this. She certainly hadn't expected to be with her doppelganger.

Not even after Elena had taken several steps into the house Katherine cleared her throat, causing her to look at her again.

"We're going back out," the vampire informed her.

"Why?" Elena asked. They'd gotten the food, what more could she possibly want?

"Because I said so, and if you ask why again I won't hesitate to bite you."

Katherine obviously wanted something, and Elena was too frightened and intrigued to deny her. She quickly put away the groceries and followed Katherine out. The sun was setting in the west and the wind was becoming crisp with a chill. The girl tried not to complain, but as the sky grew darker she found it was becoming more difficult.

"Close your eyes," Katherine said once they'd gotten to a corner of a street.

Elena couldn't help the arch of her brow, "We're about to cross the street. I'm not just going to shut my eyes. I could get hit."

"I won't let you get it." Elena was surprised by the intensity behind Katherine's promise. It was because of that she closed her eyes. She felt the vampire's arms wrap around her waist to lead her wherever it was they were going. Somehow, Elena felt safe, safer than she'd felt in a long time. The vampire's arms were strong, leading her in the right direction, yet gentle and kind. It was as if she was making an attempt not to hurt her.

"All right," she heard Katherine's soft voice in her ear after several more minutes of walking. "Open your eyes."

Her eyes slowly opened and had to adjust to the bright lights. Bright lights? It was the middle of the night, what light could there be? She looked up and opened her mouth in an enormous smile as she looked up at the Eiffel Tower. She'd always wanted to see it, but never could afford to. Now, standing and looking at it with Katherine's arms wrapped around her waist, it seemed perfect.

"Come on," Katherine said, removing her arms from around Elena rather teasingly and walking in front of her, "We're going to the top."

"At night?"

"Of course. That's when there's the best view."

She simply nodded and walked side by side with her doppelganger. When they reached the elevator the girl made sure to stay close to the vampire, using her for protectiong, but also wanting to be close to her. When they reached the top Elena ran to the nearest window like a child in a candy store, and Katherine merely walked leisurely behind her, enjoying Elena's happiness.

The window where they stood had a perfect view of Paris. The lights contrasted the night sky perfectly. The stars were only somewhat visible and Elena couldn't help the grin on her face as she continued to stare out the window. This was Paris. It was beautiful, just as she'd always heard. Now she was getting to experience it for herself.

A draft came from somewhere Elena couldn't recognize, but it made her shiver. Katherine heard the girl's teeth chatter. She herself couldn't feel a draft, being a vampire, but Elena wasn't a vampire.

"Cold?" Katherine asked, seeming to show genuine concern.

The girl nodded, "Yeah. That draft was freezing."

She heard a noise from behind her that she didn't recognize, but felt something warm being pressed against her shoulders.

"Here," she heard Katherine's voice say gently from behind her.

Elena turned her head to see what Katherine was doing, and her heart lept. The vampire was offering her the jacket off her shoulders. She gratefully accepted it, putting her arms through the sleeves and crossing her arms over her chest, trying to keep warm.

Katherine's arms wrapped around her from behind. Everything was going according to plan, except something changed. Elena looked timidly into her eyes and for a moment they remained, their faces inches apart, just staring into the depths of the twin brown orbs before them.

The girl tentatively leaned forward and for a short moment their lips touched. That's when Elena pulled away, but Katherine wasn't finished. She moved her lips forward and captured Elena's for a kiss. It wasn't like the kiss they'd shared on the couch. This was a different passion. It was gentle, tender, and compassionate.

Both doppelgangers felt zaps of electricity passing through their bodies as their lips connected, forming them as one. When Elena finally pulled away, remembering she had to breathe, she stared into Katherine's eyes. Strangely, she saw affection.

This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't a part of the plan, but as Katherine stared into Elena's timid eyes she couldn't help but feel a wave of protective nature come over her, just as it had come over her the night they had come to Paris. Something had gone wrong in her plan. Elena was the one supposed to feel the sparks between them. She wasn't supposed to feel them too.


	4. What a Night

Elena shivered against Katherine's strong frame, leaning further towards her. Strangely, Katherine placed an arm around her shoulders, holding the girl close. The human knew she was testing the vampire's patience, but though tense, she never made a move to feed from her.

For the first time in a long time the girl felt safe. They were far away from any of her worries, away from the Salvatores, Klaus, everything. There were no problems, she simply stared over the city of Paris and looked at the buildings, the water, and most importantly, the lights.

Everything was beautiful, especially Katherine. Her brunette curls cascaded down her shoulders, some landing on top of the girls head, their similar yet subtly different brown hair mixing together. Timidly, the girl moved to rest her head on Katherine's shoulder.

The vampire tensed and her breath caught in her throat as she felt Elena nuzzle against her side. She tried to brush it off as Elena being tired, but they both knew better than that. For a moment Katherine contemplated pushing her away, but decided against it.

Why? What was wrong with her? She should push the girl against the wall and drain her completely dry. It's what the vampire did to almost everyone she'd ever known. Something stopped her, but what? Love? Absolutely not. She was completely incapable, so she had been told many times. What was it about Elena that made her not want to push her away, but pull her closer. What was this feeling?

It was completely new. Katherine had never felt anything like it. Everything about it had to do with Elena, but why?

"We should go," the vampire whispered, wanting to move from their awkward position but not wanting to suddenly disturb her.

The girl looked up at Katherine, the expression on her face so adorable that Katherine nearly melted, but she remained strong. Elena arched her brow at the sudden request, but nodded, reluctantly pulling away. They walked side by side, and the ride down the elevator was silent between them. Elena often glanced up to look up at Katherine, but the vampire had become distant. It was as if she was lost in another world.

When they finally exited the elevator they walked across the bridge to their hotel, but Katherine stopped. It took Elena several moments to realize the vampire was no longer beside her. Katherine had rested her arms on the railing and was looking out over the water.

She stared at the ripples dancing across the river as the night sky reflected on the surface, little stars poking out of the dark blanket. A soft smile crossed her lips. It reminded her of home. Katherine quickly forced her expression to become cold again as she heard Elena's footsteps drawing closer.

"Something wrong?" the girl's voice asked as she moved to stand beside her.

"Not at all," Katherine replied, looking back at her, "Let's go."

After barely getting any sleep following an intense evening, Elena descended the stairs at three thirty in the morning. She jumped when she saw Katherine sitting at the kitchen table, swirling a glass of red wine in her hand. Was she dreaming? Or was Katherine specifically taunting her? Was Katherine taunting her at all?

"Did I startle you?" Katherine asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Elena said after a moment's hesitation. "What are you doing awake?"

"I could be asking you the same question."

The girl sighed and shook her head. She walked to the kitchen and poured water into a glass. As she brought the glass to her lips she felt hands on her waist. A shudder traveled through her spine as she felt cool fingers reaching under her shirt to glide over her skin, barely making contact.

Her flesh felt heated, the blood pumping quickly through her veins. It made her nervous, especially with the vampire breathing on her neck. The girl's breath caught in her throat as she felt Katherine's soft lips ghost upon her skin, but against what her mind was screaming at her, she remained in place. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart as Katherine continued kissing her neck.

Katherine knew very well what she was doing. She had tried all night to resist, and had another sleepless night because of the moment they'd shared at the Eiffel Tower. Lust clouded her dark eyes as she let her hands slide along Elena's sides, causing a sigh to escape from the girl's lips.

Katherine abruptly stepped back, knowing what would happen if she continued. She knew that she couldn't continue. There was nothing there. She didn't feel anything for this girl. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Of all the people Katherine had lied to, she'd never lied to herself before.

Elena turned around to see where Katherine had gone, but she was still standing right behind her, their bodies not even a full twelve inches apart. As the vampire turned and walked back to the table Elena couldn't help but feel a pang of longing in her chest.

She wanted her. She wanted to feel Katherine's skin against hers. Something was missing. Stefan and Damon had constantly fought over her because she looked like the woman standing in front of her. They had never truly wanted her, but Katherine did.

"Wait," Elena whispered, causing the vampire to turn around with an arched brow.

For a moment they simply stood, staring at each other. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Elena saw emotion in the vampire's eyes. She couldn't differentiate all she saw, but love was there. As much as Katherine tried to deny it Elena could see all of it in her eyes.

"Why?" Katherine asked softly.

After a moment's hesitation, Elena bravely walked forward to the vampire and pressed their lips together for a passionate kiss. It started gentle, but it quickly turned hungry. They needed each other more than they would ever admit to anyone else. Elena wrapped her arms around the Katherine's neck, bringing their bodies closer together.

The drumming of Elena's constant pulse filled Katherine's ears, but not once did feeding cross her mind. The feeling was amazing. She had never allowed herself to feel. Emotions made her weak and got in the way of her plans. She could be attached to no one.

Now it was different. Katherine wanted nothing more than to be closer to Elena. Her arms reached around Elena's body, her hands on her waist, pulling her close. Their contact sent tingles through Katherine's skin, and made her want more, but she couldn't do it. She pulled away from Elena tentatively, leaving their faces inches apart.

"No," Katherine whispered, "No."

"Please," Elena begged, needing to feel whole again.

Katherine let out a low, lust filled growl as she pressed her lips to Elena's again. Her plea made her lose her mind to the lust she so secretly desired. She heard Elena moan against her lips, and that only made her actions more blurred. Katherine pushed the girl against the wall roughly, placing her hands on her shoulders to keep her in place.

She kissed down Elena's neck, occasionally nipping at the sensitive skin. Her hands moved up underneath Elena's shirt to drift along the smooth expanse of Elena's stomach. Their bodies were completely pressed together, heated flesh against lifeless skin.

When Elena could take no more, she pulled Katherine's head up to stare into her eyes for a moment before bringing their lips back together, molding them as one.

An hour later, found herself looking at the clock in her bedroom. It was four thirty in the morning. She smiled weakly to herself as she nuzzled further against Katherine's shoulder. The vampire's arms were wrapped around her and she felt Katherine's cheek resting against the top of her head.

There was nothing that could compare to how Elena felt. The tingling in her stomach wouldn't cease, and it was because of Katherine. Her smile turned into a small giggle as she wrapped her arm around Katherine's waist. They were completely alone. No problems could bother them, as they were far away from Mystic Falls.

The thought reminded her of something, something she should've asked long before.

"Katherine," she whispered into the darkness.

"Mmm," the vampire groaned drowsily, letting Elena know she was still awake.

"How did I get here?"

**Thank you to my lovely new beta dobrevdreams. Check out her stories if you haven't already. **


	5. Love

Katherine stirred next to her, propping herself up on one elbow to look down on the girl. She knew this question would come, but she hadn't expected it to come so soon. The vampire had only just admitted her feelings, which wasn't easy for her to do. Now Elena expected her to reveal everything.

Could she do it? Of course, she had to, but how? Should she skip the parts she couldn't say, or should she just push through it and tell Elena the whole story? Katherine knew their relationship would go nowhere if she continued to lie, but it was still difficult for her.

"Katherine?" Elena asked, too much time had gone by since the last time Katherine spoke. Something was wrong.

The vampire remained silent, it was too hard for her to speak. It would mean confessing everything. All the things she'd hoped she'd never have to explain, now was the time. It was now or never. If she refused to say anything she would lose Elena's trust.

As she felt Elena's hand softly caressing her cheek she was pulled back into reality. Her train of thought took a completely new course as she looked into the girl's pleading brown eyes that looked so similar to her own. Their faces were now inches apart, and Katherine's skin prickled with delight from their contact.

"Tell me," her words were quietly spoken, trying to ease the vampire into talking.

"Fine," Katherine replied after a sigh.

_Elena had been walking home, her hair pulled into a ponytail high on the back of her head. The vampire had been watching from far behind. In truth, she'd always kept an eye on the girl, making sure she didn't get into too much trouble. Unfortunately, she couldn't interfere. The Salvatores made that impossible. She unconsciously let her eyes scan Elena's body, taking in every detail of the girl's beautiful figure. _

_Her mind went to places that had her biting her lips. Deliciously naughty thoughts went through her mind. Of course, she couldn't do any of those things with Elena. The girl was too focused on her precious Salvatores for that to happen. Just as if her thoughts had summoned them, Stefan walked up to Elena from the sidewalk._

_Katherine had seen him give himself over to Klaus, and had heard how his humanity had been taken. She expected it to make him more of a good time, but she realized she couldn't be more wrong. The vampire thanked her supernatural senses and listened to the conversation going on between them._

_"Elena, I'm supposed to protect you. How am I supposed to do that if you won't stay in my sight?" Stefan asked, but there was cruel amusement in his voice. He didn't love her, not without his humanity. It was obvious he was trying to make her suffer._

_"Damon can protect me," the girl retorted, "I don't need you, Stefan."_

_Even from such distance Katherine could see the younger Salvatore's expression change. His playful, teasing demeanor changed to pure rage. Stefan seemed to almost say something but Elena pushed past him to continue her walk home. Katherine continued to follow Elena, and for several more minutes, all seemed quiet. _

_Stefan appeared in front of her, the veins prominent under his crimson eyes. Elena staggered back several steps before taking a deep breath and standing strongly to face him. Her muscles were rigid, but somehow she managed to stand up to him._

_"What do you want, Stefan?"_

_"I'm hungry," he stated simply, "and since you're the walking blood bag I don't think Klaus would mind if I took a drink."_

_The girl turned to run, but he appeared in front of her again. Stefan grabbed her harshly by the shoulders, bruising her beautiful skin. Katherine heard Elena's scream as his fangs sank into her neck. Blood ran down her body as he fed from her._

_Katherine fought her inner turmoil. The vampire knew she couldn't simply save the girl. It would look suspicious, but she had to do something. She couldn't just stand there and watch him handle her like she was nothing. For mere moments more she watched, and saw Elena's eyelids flutter shut. Katherine knew she was losing too much blood._

_Katherine sped behind Stefan and snapped his neck, watching him fall to the ground. She knelt next to Elena and listened to the faint sound of her heartbeat. She was alive, but barely. Quickly, the vampire bit into the flesh of her wrist and forced it against the girl's mouth. She stayed that way until she knew Elena had several gulps of vampire blood in her system._

_Something was wrong, utterly wrong. The girl hadn't woken up. The vampire blood had healed her wounds, but she remained unconscious. Katherine frantically put her head against Elena's chest, feeling the thump of her heart through her flesh. It was strong and steady, like a drum, but why hadn't she woken up?_

_A groan came from Stefan's throat as he began to wake. The vampire knew she couldn't let Elena stay in Mystic Falls, not while Stefan had nearly killed her. She wouldn't let it happen. She wouldn't let Elena die. Katherine carefully put her arms around her and held her gently, with the girl's head resting against her chest._

_Her legs carried them away from Mystic Falls as fast as she could go. Katherine ran to a dock several towns away, where an old friend would help her. He drove the boat while she stayed in the cabin with Elena. Everyday on their voyage she would sit at Elena's bedside, constantly checking for a pulse and a heartbeat. She fed Elena her blood everyday._

_One night Elena began to groan in her sleep. She tossed and turned, gripping the sheets beneath her so hard her knuckles had turned white. A single tear fell from her eye. Katherine couldn't bear to see her in pain. She moved to lie on the bed next to her doppelganger._

_After another turn Elena's head landed on her chest with a thud. For a moment, Katherine was worried that she'd hurt herself, but the girl's muscles seemed to relax. She curled up against the vampire's side and rested her hand on Katherine's stomach. _

_She tensed, Katherine hadn't seen such affection from anyone for over five centuries. Tentatively, she wrapped her arms around Elena. Her breathing became deep and her heart returned to its steady rhythm. Their bodies were pressed together, Elena unconsciously seeking protection from the vampire. Katherine fell asleep peacefully next to Elena, and when she woke the girl's condition hadn't changed. She was still unconscious, but also clinging to her. Katherine refused to move the rest of the voyage. Only when they finally arrived in Paris did she pull herself from Elena's grasp._

_When they finally arrived at the mansion Katherine had compelled for them she had instantly laid Elena on the bed and moved to be beside her. Their closeness seemed to bring peace to both of them, no matter how much Katherine tried to deny it. Her heart, were it still beating, would have lept with joy every time Elena's head rested upon her chest._

_The night before Elena woke, she'd heard the girl's heartbeat quicken to the pace of someone awake, and she knew their tender moments would come to an end, but the girl would not remember. All the moments they shared would be lost, only bringing a sense of false hope to Katherine that someday she may remember. When Katherine had seen Elena descend the stairs she wanted to hold the girl in her arms and tell her how much she loved her, but she couldn't._

Katherine watched the girl's eyes as they filled with tears. They each gazed into the other's identical eyes, sharing a moment together. Katherine felt Elena's hand travel down to take her own hand and intertwine their fingers. They grasped onto the other as if they would drift away like leaves in a gentle breeze.

"You saved me," Elena managed to say, "You saved my life."

"Yes."

"You took care of me."

"Yes."

"Why?" the girl's voice nearly cracked, "Why did you do it?"

No words were needed for Katherine's answer. She pressed their lips together for a gentle kiss. Elena immediately responded, helping to mold their lips together. When the two finally pulled away from the kiss their hands never left one another's and their bodies remained pressed together. Elena's head was on her chest and Katherine's arms were around her, as they had been almost every night since they arrived in Paris.

"I love you, Katherine," Elena smiled as she closed her eyes.

Katherine placed a gentle kiss to the girl's hair, resting her cheek against the top of her head and shutting her eyes.

"I love you, too."


	6. Old Friends

Katherine had woken early, before the sun had risen above the buildings. A glimpse of the moon could be seen in the colorful morning sky, but it would soon disappear. The vampire walked downstairs to the kitchen and searched the cabinets and refrigerator. A small chuckle escaped her lips when she found everything to be empty, the only thing that remained were several blood bags in the fridge.

_Who knew Elena ate so much?_ Katherine thought to herself.

The wheels in Katherine's mind began turning and a smile crept onto her face. She decided she would surprise the girl with breakfast, seeing as she most likely wouldn't wake up for another few hours. In case Elena did decide to wake up early Katherine left a note for her before grabbing her jacket and leaving the mansion.

She'd always been in love with Paris. The city of love, the city of lights, no matter what the name, Katherine loved it. It was beautiful, but she found it to be rather simple. The vampire had been in many towns in almost every country in the world, and Paris could be compared to any city in terms of the people and lifestyle, but not in its beauty.

As she arrived at the market she smiled to herself at how simple it was. The simplicity was nice to see, especially in a city with so much beautiful architecture. She grabbed an apple and let it sit in her hand for a moment. Her thoughts drifted back to Elena.

A sigh escaped her throat and she smiled. The doppelganger, whom she had hated in the beginning, had turned out to be her source of joy. The love she felt for the girl was stronger than anything she'd felt before, even while human she hadn't experienced such emotion.

"Excuse me, but you look very familiar."

The vampire tensed, she immediately recognized the voice behind her, but prayed she was wrong. Slowly, she turned and took several steps backward to put distance between the two of them. She gulped down her fear and after seconds of silence she spoke.

"Klaus," she breathed out. He had specifically found her, and that was not a good sign.

"Hello, love," he greeted, the corner of his lips curling into a smirk.

"What do you want?" her tone was filled with anger, but underneath was a fear she'd felt continuously over the past five centuries. She knew he'd find her, but because he hadn't immediately taken her and tortured her she was curious as to what he really wanted.

"Perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere else."

"Why? So you can kill me?" Katherine was always suspicious when it came to Klaus. No matter what he said, he could never be trusted.

"I want to have a friendly chat, just us vampires. I can't do that when there's people around, now can I?"

The Original walked away from her, but stopped after several steps to turn his head over his shoulder, making sure she was following. Katherine was hesitant to follow him, knowing she may not return to Elena if she went with him, but curiosity got the best of her. She followed the Original into an alley just beside the market.

"Now," Klaus said as he turned to face her, "Where's my doppelganger?"

"You're looking at her," she replied slyly, curling her lips into a smirk.

"Cute," he huffed, "but I meant Elena."

"Why don't you ask the Salvatores?" Katherine crossed her arms in front of her chest and cocked her hip to the side, "They worship at her altar."

"You know, it's funny, I asked them and they said you took her. I'll ask you again: where is she?"

Klaus had closed the distance between them, leaving Katherine very little room to escape. She couldn't tell him the truth; she couldn't let him take Elena from her.

"Why would I take her?" Katherine replied, taking a step back from him. Her back hit the wall, and she knew she was trapped.

"Don't play games with me, Katerina."

"What game could I possibly be playing, Klaus?" the smirk she'd plastered on her lips was quickly faltering. The longer she stayed in his presence the worse it would be.

Klaus' only response was an evil smirk that sent shivers through Katherine's spine. She was in danger, and she could easily tell. As quick as she could she sped to the entrance of the alley only to be blocked by a familiar blonde.

"You know, you really shouldn't go into alleys with strangers," Rebekah said, tilting her head with a smirk.

"Rebekah," Katherine breathed as she backed up, only to be thrown against the wall by Klaus.

She fell to the ground, but quickly stood up. Katherine refused to show them fear, but as she felt the stinging of the cut on her head fade she knew her injuries were only just beginning.

"All right, sweetheart here's how this is going to work," Klaus said, sadistically cheerful. "You're going to tell me where Elena is or you're going to die."

"I don't know," Katherine replied, gritting her teeth.

"She's lying, Nik."

Katherine glared at Rebekah, who only gave an innocent seeming smile in response. The blonde Original was the weakest of the two, but still much stronger than Katherine.

"One last time, love. Where is she?"

Katherine apparently didn't respond fast enough to Klaus' liking. Rebekah pushed her against the wall, crushing her rib cage in the process. The vampire bit her lip as she felt the bones crack beneath her skin. It kept the cries of pain from slipping out, but as Rebekah finally cracked her last rib a small whimper escaped her throat.

"Are you going to tell me where she is?" Klaus asked, still smiling, a cruel glint in his eyes.

"I don't know," Katherine lied again, wincing as the blonde original pulled her arms behind her back, dislocating her shoulders.

"More lies," Klaus mused as he walked closer to her, "Oh, well. It's your funeral, love."

Elena had barely woken up and turned over on her bed, reaching out to wrap her arm around the vampire, but only felt the cold sheet beneath her hand. She sat up with a start, looking around the room for any sign of the vampire but finding none.

Quickly, the girl walked downstairs to find a note on the counter. It relieved some of her worry, but not all of it. How long had Katherine been gone? What if something happened?

She paced the kitchen for an unknown amount of time before jumping at the sound of her phone ringing. The girl ran to her phone and quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Elena," she heard Katherine reply, but something was off. The vampire's voice sounded hoarse and weak, not like the voice she had learned to love.

"Katherine? What's wrong? Where are you?" the girl ran her hand through her hair, desperate to know what was going on.

"Alley beside the market," her replies were short and her breath was ragged, something was definitely wrong, "Elena, I need you to come get me."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Elena just come get me!"

The phone line went dead and Elena immediately ran into her car and drove to the market, dreading what she'd find.

The sun was setting over the city, or at least that's how it looked from where Katherine could see it. She was sitting on the floor of the alley; it wasn't as if she had another choice. Rebekah had stabbed a metal pole into her abdomen and right arm, restricting her range of motion. She was far too weak to remove the rods herself.

She closed her eyes, for what only seemed to be a moment. When she heard footsteps running towards her she opened them to see the stars peeking out of the night sky. Her vision was blurred, and it took several moments to make out the face in front of her.

"Elena?" she whispered, her throat in too much pain to speak any louder.

"I'm here," Elena replied shakily, looking at the wounds on Katherine's body, "What happened to you?"

"Klaus."

Elena used all her strength to pull the rods from Katherine's body, cringing as Katherine whimpered in pain. She wrapped an arm around the vampire's waist and quickly sat her in the passenger seat in the car. As she moved into the driver's seat she moved and looked at Katherine's injuries.

The girl ran a hand over a bruise on Katherine's arm, and quickly pulled away at the vampire's groan.

"Sorry," she quickly replied, placing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she saw a mark on Katherine's neck. Slowly and carefully, she pulled her jacket away from her neck and gasped at the sight, putting her free hand over her mouth.

"Katherine," Elena said softly.

"I know," Katherine responded, looking at the bite she received from Klaus with a sorrowful expression. Elena had tears in her eyes and her hand still over her mouth. Katherine was hurt, that she could deal with, but she couldn't deal with what was coming.

She would die.


	7. Another day, Another Problem

Elena lay with her lover on her bed, constantly pressing a cool cloth to the vampire's forehead, which was covered in sweat. Katherine's curls splayed across the pillow, but some clung to her forehead.

The girl had barely slept. For three days Katherine had been bedridden, and Elena refused to let her stand. She could not see the woman weak, she could not allow it. For a moment, Katherine seemed peaceful, as if this trouble was long behind them.

She knew that wasn't the truth, but hope was something she could not help. The girl was only human, and as her lover woke a sliver of hope emanated from her, hoping the vampire was all right.

That hope was quickly diminished as Katherine began coughing, and blood slipped from her lip. Elena quickly grabbed the bowl she had on the nightstand and placed it under her.

She held Katherine's hair from her face as the vampire placed her hands on either side of the bowl to support herself as she continued to spew blood. Her other hand comforted the vampire by rubbing her back gently, trying not to disturb her.

Katherine pushed the bowl away, but her breathing was still erratic as she lay back against the pillows once again.

"What can I do?" Elena pleaded, "We have to do something."

"There's nothing you can do," her lover responded, looking up at her weakly.

"There has to be something! I won't let you die," her eyes filled with tears. The girl had never seen Katherine so weak.

"I'm not letting you go to Klaus for me. He'll kill you, Elena."

"I don't care," Elena whispered, "I can't let you die."

Katherine reached up to weakly cup the girl's cheek, wiping away her tears with her thumb. She sat up, wincing as she did so, to place a gentle kiss to her lover's lips. Elena immediately responded, wrapping her arms around the vampire's neck. More tears fell down her cheeks as she pulled away to stare into Katherine's dark eyes. A soft smile curled the woman's lips as she allowed herself to lie back against the pillows with a wince.

The sigh that escaped Katherine's lips as the girl ran her fingers so gently through her hair was inevitable. She was so comfortable, more comfortable than she had been in a long time. There was never a time the vampire could remember receiving such affection, such love. It was almost unbelievable, but Elena changed that every day.

She fought against the urge to sleep. Katherine wanted to assure her lover, and herself, that things would be all right. If a fight were what she had to give then she would give everything, for Elena. Only Elena could make her feel so different.

Of course she had thought of the consequences of succumbing to the darkness, and finally finding peace. She would never have to run. She would have her freedom. Freedom, the prize that she had worked five hundred years to earn, was now the price she had to pay to remain with her lover.

"Do you need more blood?" she heard the girl whisper.

"No," she sighed, "I don't need anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"It'll only come back up," the vampire smiled, but obviously her lover was not amused.

In an attempt to cheer the girl up she rested her head over Elena's beating heart, listening to the beating as she closed her eyes. She could feel the tension in her lover's muscles, but they relaxed as Katherine nestled herself against Elena's side.

"Can you be less cute for five minutes?" Elena asked, a small smile on her lips.

"It's impossible," the vampire replied with a sigh.

"Are you okay?" the girl asked, her heartbeat speeding with worry.

"Just tired."

Elena watched Katherine yawn and waited until her breathing slowed, signaling she was asleep.

As the stars began to light the night sky, and the moon shone high above the city, Elena managed to sneak from the bed. She carried the bowl of dried blood down the stairs to the sink and began to rinse it out, only letting the water run from the faucet at a slow and gentle pace.

An arm wrapped around her waist and a hand was placed over her mouth, muffling her cries. She tried to pull away, but the grip was supernaturally strong.

"Calm down," she heard a voice whisper behind her, somehow familiar, as if she'd almost forgotten it.

After several moments she stopped struggling, letting a silence hang in the air. As the figure's grip loosened, she turned to see the blue eyes of her blonde best friend.

"Caroline?" she whispered, "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you!" Caroline shouted before receiving a glare from Elena. She lowered her voice before speaking again, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Rescuing me? What are you talking about?"

"Stefan told us everything. He said Katherine took you and he couldn't catch her because she knocked him out," the blonde quickly explained, then pulling the girl into a hug, "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Caroline," Elena said, pulling away, "Katherine didn't kidnap me. She saved me."

"Katherine saved you? Why don't I believe you, Elena?"

"I know it's hard to believe, but she did. Stefan was attacking me and," she paused for a moment to smile softly, "she rescued me."

"Oh god," Caroline mumbled, obviously concerned.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked, her eyes suddenly widening in concern, "Who's with you?"

"Damon and Stefan," she whispered shaking her head, "Elena I-", but Elena cut her off by running up the stairs. The manor was large; she knew it would take the Salvatores a long time to find Katherine.

Her feet carried her as swiftly as they could to the vampire's room; Katherine was awake. She had somehow managed to push herself into a sitting position to try and get off the bed. The girl rushed to her and pressed gently on her shoulders.

"Lie back down. You're not strong enough for this."

"I'm not letting them hurt you, Elena," Katherine said, the conviction and intensity in her voice almost coerced the girl to let her up.

"They won't hurt me," she reassured her lover, pushing one of her dark curls behind her ear, "They'll hurt you."

Suddenly, the vampire put a hand on her stomach and hunched over the edge of the bed. Her dark curls hid her pained face from view, and Elena kneeled down beside her. She placed a gentle hand on her doppelganger's knee and took her hand.

"Elena," the vampire said, unable to finish her thought because of her shallow breathing.

"I know," she whispered softly, "It's okay."

Elena leaned forward and their lips met. The kiss was soft and tender, almost reassuring the vampire she would be all right. The girl's hand slithered to be underneath Katherine's. She held her hand over her lover's stomach, and for a moment the pain seemed to disappear.

That moment did not last. Katherine's eyes widened into the kiss and she pulled away, moving as far from Elena as possible. She fell to the floor, supporting herself on her hands and knees as she coughed the blood that rose up her throat.

The coughing stopped short, and Elena had a small glimpse of hope that Katherine could be getting better. That hope was diminished as she saw Katherine's muscles begin to tremble.

"Elena," she whispered, "Run."

The whisper had turned into a growl, and Elena did not think twice about getting up from the floor and running towards the door. However, she was stopped by a strong set of arms. She was quickly turned to face her lover, whose eyes had turned to crimson and her veins were prominent.

"Katherine," she said, attempting to seem calm, "Don't do this. Please, don't do this."

She struggled, and in the back of her mind she wondered if loving Katherine was a bad idea. Elena threw that thought aside, promising never to think of it again. Her thoughts were only that of fear. She knew the vampire had drained many in her lifetime, but she never thought her own death would come at her hands.

After a moment Katherine went for Elena's neck, and the girl struggled. Oh, how she struggled, therefore the bite was more painful than she could imagine. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she screamed and yelled. She could feel her warm blood as it reached the skin of her neck, and she could feel Katherine's lips moving to suck every drop from her.

"Katherine!" she yelled, "Stop!"

The girl saw Damon and Stefan in the door way, but before she could tell them to go away Katherine backed away from her, shock clear in her now brown eyes. Her lips covered in her lover's blood, she watched as Elena put a hand to the wound to try and stop the bleeding.

"Elena?" she questioned, her breath was shallow and shaky, her limbs were weak.

Before Elena could speak Damon sped to the side of her lover and slammed her into the wall, cracking the wall and possibly her skull, however, Elena could not differentiate the sounds.

"Damon, stop!" she yelled as Stefan's arms wrapped around her waist, holding her back.

"It's okay, Elena, it's me," Stefan whispered comfortingly in her ear, but she managed to pull away from him.

The elder Salvatore stopped to look at Elena, her brown eyes pleading with him. He knew what he wanted; he'd wanted it for so long and for once he finally had the chance to take it, to kill her. Damon watched the girl shake her head, and he looked at Katherine to finally notice the vampire bite on her neck, underneath his thumb where he'd been holding her by the throat.

He dropped her immediately after and watched her sink to the ground, using the wall for support to sit up. Elena walked over to him, and he stared at her, pain and confusion in his ice blue eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him, but removing them faster than he could get his own arms around her.

The only emotion he could feel was shock as he watched Elena kneel down next to her doppelganger and cup Katherine's cheek. She helped her up, and he stood there, utterly confused. It was as if his body wouldn't move, his voice wouldn't work, as if his eyes were betraying him.

"Elena," he breathed, and watched her look back at him, a pain in her brown eyes that he could not explain, but he understood nonetheless.

"Come on, Stefan," he said, finally regaining his voice, "Let's go."

"I'm not leaving without her," Stefan growled, looking at his brother's face.

"If you don't leave on your own I'll drag you out of here," the elder Salvatore's voice cracked slightly, and a tear threatened to fall from his eye, but he fought it back. He wouldn't let his feelings betray him.

He watched his brother growl before Stefan sped away. Damon took several steps forward to follow him, when a hand gently touching his shoulder stopped him.

When he turned he saw her doe brown eyes staring into his, as if they were sharing a moment. Whatever he was thinking in that moment disappeared as he heard her shaking voice.

"Thank you," she whispered, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers.

Damon looked at their hands, and gripped hers tightly. He was like a child, fascinated by the simplest of actions, by how it made him feel. Yet, somehow, he knew he could never have her. When she was with his brother, it seemed as if the elder Salvatore had a chance, but now things were different.

Stefan may not have seen it, but he saw what she was feeling in the way Elena looked at Katherine. He saw it in the way their eyes met, the way Katherine seemed to regret biting the girl. Damon knew what it meant, and somehow this seemed to be the end, the end of his hope.

"For what?" he whispered, barely letting his eyes meet hers, his voice betraying his emotions.

"For understanding," she responded, her voice powerful with raw emotion, "For not taking her away from me."

"What do you feel for her?" Damon asked suddenly, forcing his eyes to bore into hers, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You already know."

"Say it," his voice was angry, yet hurt. He knew he answer, and yet he forced himself to hear it.

"I love her, Damon."

The Salvatore ripped his hand away from hers and turned his back on the girl. For once he thought he had more of a chance, and it was torn from him by his brother and by the woman he once loved. He blamed Stefan, he blamed Katherine, but ultimately the blame came to him.

Though he had tried to deny it, the truth was clear. He had waited too long, and hadn't done enough to try and win her heart. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he would never win, but false hope had always been his ally, and now, he forced himself to let it go.

A tear slipped down his cheek as he shut his eyes and turned his head over his shoulder to look at her again. Rivers of tears were pouring down her cheeks as she stared at him, hoping for him not to hate her.

"Damon," she said softly, "I-"

"You don't have to say anything," he paused, but the raise of her brow forced him to continue, "I get it."

"You do?"

He nodded gently, "You don't choose who you love," he whispered, his eyes traveling to the floor.

Damon felt her arms wrap around him, and her head rest on his shoulder as tears slipped onto his leather jacket. He put his arms back around her, and kissed the top of her head before resting his head against hers. They swayed to and fro for several moments before she pulled away.

"What about Stefan?" she asked, obviously concerned for her lover, who had managed to crawl into the bed.

His blue eyes met Katherine's, whose eyes seemed to fill with rage as she heard the name. They were filled with emotion, and all of it was directed to the girl he loved. He had thought Katherine incapable of love, but obviously he was wrong.

A sigh escaped him as he looked back to Elena. Her hands were fidgeting and she was constantly shifting her weight. He realized their love for each other was stronger than his could ever be, and finally, he truly understood love.

"I already told you once, Elena. No one's going to hurt you, especially not my brother," he said, adding a small wink at the end, letting the corner of his lips curl to a little smile.

"And you're okay with this?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her middle.

"I am," he replied, "look, I'm going to go. Have to make sure baby brother doesn't do anything stupid."

Damon turned and began to walk out of the room, a slight smile on his face when a voice called him back.

"Damon," Elena said, causing him to turn around, "Thank you."

The girl watched him leave, though she was slightly confused, she was grateful he understood. A sigh escaped her, what was she going to tell her friends? What was she going to tell her brother? Would she have to tell them, or would Stefan ruin it by telling them for her?

Once she heard her lover cough she rushed to the bed and laid beside her, pulling the vampire into her arms and resting their foreheads together. Tears of joy and pain rushed down her cheeks as she sobbed.

"It's okay," Katherine whispered softly, pulling Elena into her embrace, letting the human rest her head on her shoulder.

"You almost died today," Elena told her, curling up against Katherine and sighing.

"I'm just glad you weren't hurt," she replied, kissing the top of her lover's head.

"I'll find a cure for you, Katherine," the girl whispered, moving from the embrace to stare into the eyes of the woman she loved. "I promise."

Though Katherine didn't believe it, she would never tell Elena so, she would never dampen the girl's spirits with her own thoughts.

"I know you will," she replied softly, a smile curling her lips.

Elena pulled her lover's head against her shoulder and began to massage her scalp gently. She heard the vampire moan softly as her breathing slowed for the second time that night. Once Katherine had fallen into slumber, Elena quickly followed suit, and found herself in a dream, a dream where she and Katherine were together, and all their problems were behind them.


	8. A Love to Last Forever May Not Last

Elena sighed as she ascended the stairs, holding the railing as her feet slowly passed each step. Choking up, she almost turned back and ran down the stairs, ready to flee from the house as fast as she could. Facing the truth was never easy.

She turned to the room they'd shared since the girl had been told the truth of their arrival in Paris. A sigh of slight relief escaped her lips as she saw the rising and falling of her lover's chest. Elena walked over, making sure to be quiet as she lay down next to her.

The groan that came from Katherine was almost inaudible, but luckily Elena was close enough to hear. Elena watched the vampire open her eyes, noticing that the usual shine in them had dimmed to a small glimmer.

"Elena?" Katherine asked, turning her head to face the girl.

"Hey," she whispered to the vampire, smiling gently as she moved to be closer to her.

Katherine smiled back at her, looking into Elena's eyes. She saw them shining, knowing the answer to the question that was on her mind. Somehow, she found herself too afraid to ask. Were her heart still beating she was certain Elena would have been able to hear it pounding in her chest.

Without realizing it at first, the vampire felt a teardrop flowing down her cheek. Unconsciously, she moved her hand to wipe it away, but was stopped when Elena grabbed her wrist. Katherine forced herself to meet the teary twin eyes of her lover.

Nothing could be said; Elena knew that. The girl reached down and took the vampire's hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. They clung to each other, holding onto the love they'd only known for a short while. In her dreams she'd imagined being able to tell the vampire she'd never let go, but now, she didn't want to give Katherine that false hope.

The shaky breathing coming from beside her pulled Elena from her thoughts. As a small choking sound came from her doppelganger's lips the girl moved to be closer. Their bodies were pressed together, hoping to take some comfort in their proximity.

Finally, Elena rested her forehead against Katherine's, shutting her eyes and tightening her grip on the vampire's hand. She listened to the uneven breathing of her lover, until she could take no more.

"I'm so sorry, Katherine," she whispered, placing a kiss to her forehead, letting tears stream from her eyes.

"It's not your fault," she heard the vampire respond. The girl opened her eyes to see the tiniest of smiles curling Katherine's lip, and could not help her own smile in response.

"Why did this happen?" Elena asked, feeling more pressure in her chest as a lump formed in her throat, "Why did he do this?"

"Things catching up with me, I guess," Katherine said with a small chuckle, looking up into the twin brown eyes she loved so much.

"I love you, Katherine," the girl said, tightening her grip on their hands.

"I love you too."

Damon paced the kitchen downstairs, getting a glass from one of the nearby cupboards and setting it down on the table. He heard the front door open and footsteps enter, but he didn't care. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. The entire house was filled with misery and pain, and he somehow managed to find it ironic that even though they were in the city of love that love had somehow managed to be destroyed.

The eldest Salvatore finally managed to find the bourbon and set it on the table. His thoughts turned to his brother, and how he hadn't seen Stefan since they'd found Elena in Paris two days ago. Since those two days he had been searching for a cure to help Katherine, and in those two days he had come up short.

He had found nothing. It was humiliating, but the humiliation wasn't what was making him so dreary. Damon heard the conversation that was going on between the two doppelgangers upstairs, and he could hear their compassion and love for each other.

Of course the Salvatore was jealous. His ex-lover had gotten the girl of his dreams, but it wasn't jealousy that was making him so dreary either. What was it? He wasn't supposed to care about Katherine anymore. No, it wasn't that he cared about Katherine; it was that he cared about Elena.

He was about to witness what could be the worst day in the girl's life. Damon swallowed the lump forming in his throat and started to pour the bourbon. In that moment he promised himself to be there for Elena, not because he wanted her to love him, but because he loved her, and he wanted her to be okay.

"Save some for me," he heard a voice from in front of him. After a few moments he turned his head to see the blonde vampire moving to sit at the table.

In silence he grabbed another glass from the cupboard and put it out for her, pouring some of the alcohol into it and sliding it to her. He wasn't in the mood for talking, but of course that was what Caroline was going to do. It was her way of coping and, in his current mood, he didn't have enough energy to stop her.

"We're too late aren't we?" she asked, taking the glass in her hands and tapping her fingers against it.

Damon nodded, downing some of his drink and slamming the glass against the table. The sigh that escaped him was filled with anger, pain, sorrow, and grief. It was filled with emotions he rarely ever allowed himself to feel.

"We're too late," he replied, staring into the distance, not engaged in what was going on around him.

"Why?" Caroline asked. He heard the crack in her voice and turned his head to look at her, seeing the tears in her eyes. "Why were we so late?"

"Because we had the story wrong, Caroline!" he exclaimed angrily, "Stefan lied! He told us Katherine took Elena to kill her! We didn't even think of the possibility that someone had a werewolf bite! We were too late when we got here, we were just stupid enough to keep trying."

"Don't say that!" Caroline exclaimed, but the Salvatore wasn't listening. He poured himself another glass of bourbon, but out of rage just threw it at the wall, breathing heavily, forcing himself not to break down.

"We had to try for Elena, Damon," the blonde said before completely emptying her bourbon glass. "We had to try and let her be happy."

"And what now?" Damon asked, an angry glint in his blue eyes, "Now Katherine is going to die. What's going to happen to her?"

A long silence floated between them. He began pacing, shaking his head and cursing himself mentally for not being able to find a cure.

"We'll be there for her," the blonde said softly, soon finding her voice, "We will be there for her."

"To do what? To tell her that everything's going to be okay and she's going to find someone else?" Damon asked, clenching his fist at his side, "Guess what, it's not going to happen."

"That's not what we're going to do, Damon," Caroline replied angrily, "We're going to make sure she's okay. We're going to make sure that she has someone. We're not going to let her lose anyone else and," she paused, sighing, "We're not going to let Stefan hurt her again."

Damon scowled at the mention of his brother, becoming angrier than he already was. The mere thought of his brother would now send him into a rage. He would never forgive Stefan for what he'd done to Elena, to Katherine.

"I'll kill him," he murmured softly.

"No you won't," Caroline said, smiling gently and going to stand beside him, "He's your brother. No matter how much we hate him for this we won't kill him."

"So what do we do with him?"

"I don't know, Damon."

Katherine heard the conversation going on downstairs, and she was touched at how willing Damon was to protect the girl she loved. She would have been jealous, but she found it to be pointless. The knowledge that she would be gone soon had removed some of her selfish attitude. Of course it could not remove all of it, she was still Katherine Pierce.

Her head was resting on the girl's shoulder, and for the first time since she had gotten the hybrid bite she felt at peace. Elena's fingers were running through her hair, massaging her scalp gently.

She still felt pain, for the bite was still there. On occasion waves of pain would crash down onto her, but Katherine was too weak to cry out or complain, and she didn't want to hurt Elena. With every cry she had made nights before she felt her lover's cringes. She wouldn't hurt her anymore. It would be over soon, and she was okay with that.

"Elena," she whispered, getting weaker with every passing moment.

"What is it, Katherine?" Elena asked worriedly, beginning to get up from the bed, "Do you need something? I'll get it."

"No," the vampire said tiredly, grabbing onto the girl's arm and feebly attempted to pull her back.

Elena sat back down, resting her back against the headboard and smiling slightly as the vampire's head was rested on her stomach. She knew if things were different, and the vampire was not dying, she would rarely see the softer side of Katherine she had always believed was there.

"Stay?" her lover asked tiredly, looking up at her with tears in her eyes. Elena couldn't refuse, but her only response was a nod.

"I don't want to be alone," she heard Katherine whisper.

"You won't be," Elena replied, kissing the top of Katherine's head, "I'll stay with you until the end."

A small smile curled Katherine's lips. Knowing Elena was going to be with her was comforting. She didn't want to die, but Katherine wasn't a fool, she knew she had no choice. There was no way to save her, and though she wasn't okay with that, she didn't want to cause Elena anymore pain than her death already would.

Pain began to brew in her stomach, and it slowly stretched outward. The vampire whimpered slightly, and felt her doppeganger's arms tighten around her. She tightened her grip on Elena's hand, trying to hold onto her as she began to be pulled into the darkness.

"Don't fight it, Katherine," Elena whispered, feeling her voice shake in her throat. "It'll hurt more if you do."

"Elena, it hurts," Katherine cried out, and it felt as if someone had stabbed the girl through the chest.

"I know," she comforted her lover, "I know it does. Don't fight. It's okay, Katherine. I love you."

Elena leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to Katherine's lips. She felt the vampire respond weakly, kissing her back, before she started to slow. The girl pulled away to stare into her lover's eyes as a tear fell from Katherine's cheek, and the last breath came from her chest as she closed her eyes.

Before darkness completely overwhelmed her, the vampire felt happy. Elena was the last thing she saw. She almost opened her eyes again, one last time, but it was over. Katherine sighed one last time.

_I love you, Elena_, was the last thought that passed through her mind.

The girl waited a few moments, holding onto Katherine's limp hand. She called her name again and again trying to get a reaction, but nothing happened. Elena knew it was over, but she couldn't accept it.

"Katherine!" she cried, tears freely rushing down her cheeks. The small drops of water fell from her chin onto the vampire's skin, yet still no reaction came.

"Come back!" she yelled, grasping the vampire's hand with all her might. "I need you, Katherine, come back!"

Her voice cracked, and she leaned her head against her lover's. It was over. Sobs tore from her chest, and she couldn't control herself anymore. Elena was in hysterics; her chest began to hurt because of how much she was crying.

Damon and Caroline were waiting downstairs, but when they heard Elena begin to wail they rushed up to where the two lovers had been. He stood in the doorway while Caroline rushed to her friend's side, wrapping her arms around the girl.

"It's okay, Elena," he heard the blonde whisper, and he saw her try to pull Elena away.

"No!" Elena almost yelled, moving herself back to Katherine, holding the vampire tightly in her arms.

He watched from the doorway, unable to move. His eyes were glued to the body of the woman he once loved. The Salvatore felt a tear fall from his eye and quickly moved to wipe it away. He bit on the inside of his cheeks, keeping the river of tears at bay.

Damon saw Caroline look at him, tears forming in her own eyes. He watched as one fell down the side of her face. She nodded at him, and his response was a curt nod. His steps were slow as he walked into the room, sitting at the foot of the bed, making sure he was in Elena's sight.

His heart melted as their eyes met, and he heard her shaky breath. She shook her head at him, holding Katherine closer. Damon raised his hand in surrender, letting her know he wasn't going to do anything.

The Salvatore moved forward and put a hand on her shoulder. They stayed that way for hours, letting Elena weep over her love. He waited until she was exhausted to get up from the bed.

Elena had closed her eyes after glancing at Katherine, and in her sleep the girl moved closer to Caroline. Damon looked to the blonde for confirmation, and after a nod he moved to Katherine's body and lifted it gently, making sure not to wake Elena.

Damon carried Katherine downstairs to the couch and gently laid her down, pushing hair from her face. A sigh escaped him, and another tear fell down his cheek.

"She loves you, you know?" he told her quietly, shaking his head slightly. "She loves you so much, and you just leave.

"But you do that with everyone, don't you? You let them fall in love with you and then you just leave, leaving their hearts in pieces. Was it worth it, Katherine? Was it worth dying to get back at her?"

He clenched his fists at his side, pacing beside her. The Salvatore ran his fingers through his hair, digging his nails into his scalp and drawing blood.

"Or did you really love her? I think you did, Katherine."

Damon knelt beside her, taking her hand gently.

"I'll take care of her, but I wish you were here to do it yourself."


	9. Home

Elena sat with her back to the stone. The smooth stone was cold, almost freezing. Yet, it didn't seem to bother her. She tried to imagine Katherine there, sitting behind her. Feeling her warm breath on her neck again never seemed to leave her mind.

She missed her, and everything was wrong. Katherine was dead, and all she had left of the vampire was her tombstone. A cold, plain, impersonal slab of stone was the only thing connecting the girl to her love. It wasn't enough. It would never be enough, and yet Elena would be forced to live with the piece of stone anyway.

Her journal sat in her lap, untouched. With every attempt of writing in the diary came a new stream of tears. They burned her eyes and blurred her vision, and they brought great pain. Elena's own thoughts betrayed her, for they always seemed to go back to Katherine. Only days had gone by since her death, and so soon she wanted to see her again.

Several red petals from the rose she had placed at Katherine's funeral had fallen onto the ground. It was beautiful, just as she intended it to be. The only ones who had attended Katherine's funeral were Caroline, Damon, and herself. Katherine deserved more, but all the other people she knew hated the vampire, yet another thing she would have to live with.

Everyday she was reminded of the vampire's death. The littlest moments and the littlest items brought back Katherine's memory. Waking in the morning alone without her arms around her, it was a pain she never thought she'd feel. Katherine had survived for five hundred years without Klaus finding her, and somehow Elena believed that her death was her fault.

Mystic Falls was a place of sadness and death. Elena had known this for a long time. She'd never truly thought of it before, but as she sat in the cold graveyard the girl thought about it more and more. Love always betrayed her, and solace would not give her the slightest of kind embraces. She was alone, awfully and horribly alone.

The naivety she once had was gone. Her remaining possession became the truth. At first she believed truth to be her savior, her salvation, and her friend. Now all she could find from the truth was devastation.

A sigh escaped her lips as the girl looked down to the empty paper of her diary. She found herself lifting the pencil gently into her hand, and surprisingly no tears came. Elena couldn't shed anymore, for they were all gone. She had cried too much, and she wouldn't do anymore of it. Things were going to change, and for once they were going to change for the better.

_Dear Diary, She's gone. Katherine is gone. As much as I thought I hated her it wasn't true. Damon and Caroline have been so good to me, better than I deserve. Whatever they try to do, no matter how much they try to make me happy, it just doesn't work. I've tried to let them help me, to be happy again, but I can't. I wish I could close my eyes and go to sleep, and when I'd wake up Katherine would be there, chiding me for sleeping too late. It won't happen. Why won't it happen? Why did she leave me? How could she do this? Didn't she know what it would do to me to leave me alone? Why didn't we ever talk about this? I want to tell her so much. She deserves to be alive, no matter what she's done in the past. Katherine should still be here with me. Doesn't she know how much I need her? Stefan tried to comfort me. He tried to tell me how sorry he was for nearly killing me, and how much he wished it had never happened. I didn't believe him, and I still don't. There is nothing good in him anymore. Whatever I saw in him at first is gone, he's not the man I met. Damon tried to get him to stop, but Stefan just kept going, he said he wished I never fell in love with Katherine. As soon as he said that I wanted him to die, and it scared me. I didn't want him to talk about Katherine that way. He didn't deserve to talk about her that way, but before I could say anything, he revealed something important. He'd told Klaus where Katherine and I were. The more he said the angrier I got. Katherine's death was his fault, and he wished I'd never fallen in love with her? The only thing I was able to do was stand in shock and hate him. I ran at him; screaming at him and telling him how much I hated him. Damon was the only thing that stopped me from tackling him. I would've killed him if I had a stake, but I didn't, and Damon stopped me. I think he was right to stop me. What would I think of myself if I killed him? Would I hate myself more than I do now? I need her back. I need Katherine here with me, but she can't be. Stefan made sure of that. I don't know what to think anymore. I want to leave Mystic Falls, but I can't leave her behind. She's here. I won't leave her again, and I won't let her leave me. What am I supposed to do? I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore. I want to see her again, that much I know, but how can I do that. I can't ask Bonnie for that. She wouldn't understand. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if Katherine was still here, but I stop. I can't handle thinking about the fact that she's gone. I wish she was still here, but I can't keep wishing. I have to act on it, and I will. I love you, Katherine, and we'll be together again._

_Elena_

She read the entry in her diary one last time before closing the journal. The girl looked over to her lover's grave and dry sobs erupted from her chest. Elena had no more tears to spare, and no hope to give.

Her feet carried her home as fast as she could go. After what seemed like hours of running she finally arrived in her bedroom, glad to be away from everything and everyone. She needed more time to mourn, though she knew she shouldn't have any.

A thought crossed into her mind, and as much as the girl wanted to push it away she couldn't. There was something macabre about it that seemed appealing, and after hours of thought, the choice was made.

Days had gone by and the blonde had not seen a single glimpse of her friend at school. There was no sign of her. It was as if she'd disappeared off the face of the Earth. At this point Caroline started to worry. Elena wouldn't go for days without calling her; it just wasn't like her.

"Bonnie," she called as she saw her friend in the hallway. When Bonnie finally reached her, the other girl's expression seemed sorrowful and sullen. For whatever reason, Caroline didn't know.

"Have you seen Elena?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "She hasn't spoken a word to me since Katherine's funeral."

"You really think I would know?" Bonnie asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise and confusion.

"Well, yeah. You're still her friend."

"I doubt that," the witch replied, shaking her head. "I didn't even go to Katherine's funeral, Caroline."

"That doesn't mean she's not friends with you, Bonnie," Caroline replied, sighing at the unconvinced brunette.

"Whatever, that's not the point right now. You haven't heard from her?"

"No, Caroline. I haven't. If you want to talk to her you should just go and talk to her yourself."

"Well, if you're going to be so snappy about it maybe I will," Caroline retorted, turning her back on Bonnie and walking out of the school.

This was wrong. Katherine's death shouldn't have been tearing them apart. Only days ago the blonde hated Katherine more than she hated, well, anything. She would've done anything to see the elder doppelganger gone.

Yet, after seeing Elena cry over her body, everything changed. Elena loved Katherine; it was something she hadn't expected but she had come to accept it. Caroline had even said nice things at the funeral for Elena, even Damon had. They didn't want Elena to feel alone, but that didn't help, considering no one else came to the funeral, not even the girl's own brother. The blonde pushed that out of her mind as she sped towards Elena's home.

She was in a field. The sun shining on her back, warming her as it used to. Green grass surrounded her, and didn't bother her. The air around her was calm and soothing, and nothing seemed to be able to destroy her.

"Elena," she heard from behind her, a voice she thought she'd never hear again. She turned around faster than she ever had before, only to feel a joy rising from her stomach into her chest.

"Katherine," Elena breathed, running forward and capturing the vampire in an embrace.

She felt Katherine's arms wrap around her. They nearly crushed her, but the girl was too happy to care. Katherine was there; her lover was really there. At last they were together, and nothing would tear them apart.

"How are you here?" Katherine asked, pulling away from the girl slightly, only to stare her in the eyes.

Elena's gaze turned to the ground. A lump formed in her throat, and she couldn't speak. As she felt Katherine's fingers pushing a strand of hair behind her ear she forced herself to stare into the twin eyes of her lover. Those beautiful brown eyes she had come to love were full of understanding and sorrow.

"Oh, Elena," the elder doppelganger sighed, shaking her head slightly. "You didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did," she replied, putting a hand to Katherine's cheek. "I couldn't live without you."

Katherine's lips came forward to capture her own in a kiss. The joy that she'd been longing for when Katherine was gone ceased, and things were going to be okay. She couldn't be certain of it, but somehow she had a feeling they would be. The vampire was with her again, and that was truly all that mattered.

Damon walked through the graveyard, his footsteps echoing through the emptiness. The grass crunched beneath his feet, and he knew no one really came around to care for it. It was left to nature's cruelty, just as Elena had been when Katherine died. That thought only brought him pain.

He'd gotten a call from the blonde the day before. She said she was worried about Elena, and to go to the girl's house to see how she was. When the Salvatore arrived, he could instantly smell the blood. The door was wide open. He sped in, calling his love's name, but the only reply that came was Caroline's.

The sight that greeted him in the girl's bedroom was something he never wanted to see, and something he desperately wanted to forget.

He caught sight of Caroline, who was huddled in the corner of the room, staring at the bed. Tears stained her cheeks, and even Damon could feel tears spilling from his eyes. He didn't dare stop them, for this was worth crying over.

The girl's once white sheets were stained with red blood. Her wrists cut so deeply he swore he could see her bones. He wanted to turn his face away, but he couldn't. How could he have let it happen? She was gone, and it was his fault.

Damon walked over to her slowly, kneeling beside the bed. He took her hand in his own. The Salvatore shook his head and let his head droop.

"Why did you do this, Elena?" he whispered, "Why didn't you come to us?"

Time seemed to stand still as his train of thought seemed to take a different course. His eyes caught sight of what he had traveled to the graveyard to see. He tugged on the ends of his suit jacket and his tie to make sure he was presentable. They deserved it, after all.

Several moments passed before he knelt in front of the two gravestones. A smile crossed his lips. The gravestone on his left read "Katherine Pierce" and the one on his right read "Elena Gilbert".

They were together again, just like the girl always wanted. That was enough to make him smile. She would be happy. Both of them would be happy. He was happy for them, in a way. Of course he would miss them both, not that he would admit it to anyone else.

It was the day of the 'funeral'. Unfortunately, he had been waiting at the graveyard for over one hour to see if anyone else would come. Of course, this was his method of stalling, but after waiting at the graveyard for over an hour he stopped waiting.

No one else came. At first he told himself that he would have a conversation with Caroline and everyone else who knew Elena, but he realized it wouldn't do anything. She was gone, and they were grieving in their own way. They should've been there, but he wouldn't put them through the guilt of reminded them that they weren't.

Damon took the roses in his hand and stared at them a moment before placing them in the appropriate places. The rose without thorns went on Elena's grave, while the rose with thorns went to Katherine's. He stood, staring into the distance. The Salvatore took a gulp before speaking.

"Well, here I am again. I've been here too many times for one week, but, hey, this isn't about me is it? Though, I think you both know I could change that.

"You're gone," he announced into the emptiness. "I'm still here. I'm going to be here for an eternity, but you two. Well, you're going to be together for an eternity, aren't you?

"Lucky you. You get to find love, and you leave me here."

Damon sighed, turning his head to the ground. His eyes burned with tears and as they ran down his cheek he tried to wipe them away. More came than he could get rid of, and eventually he didn't try to stop them. When he looked up, he swore he could see them.

Katherine held Elena in her arms, a smile on her lips and her curled hair framing her face perfectly. She looked to Elena, who seemed happy as she looked at him. The vampire was gentle with her lover, and they were as close together as could be. As their eyes met his, more tears flooded his vision.

"Thank you," Elena mouthed to him, curling her lips in a smile. When he looked to Katherine he saw she was smiling as well. In a single moment, the image disappeared, and he was alone again.

Damon turned around, but looked over his shoulder at their graves one last time. For the first time in over a century, he wondered if there really was a life after death. As he walked away, a small smile appeared on his lips as he thought about them. They taught him something: everything would be all right eventually.

He stood at the gate of the graveyard. The dark iron was his exit, and when he opened it he vowed he would never return to this place. Though, he doubted he would keep that promise. Damon could practically hear Katherine's scoff in his mind.

All he felt was peace, and he was certain they felt it too.

"You're welcome."


End file.
